atw: Re: CV and interview advice

Christine Kent wrote:

Tracy Jenner wrote:

I am just about to start job-hunting after an extended period of time
off for health/personal reasons. I was hoping to get some advice

about

the best way to explain my absence to a potential employer as well as

on

my CV.


I wouldn't mention it on my CV at all, and
I wouldn't raise it in the interview unless
the employer asks about it. I join with others
in urging you to tell the truth but try to
put it as positively as possible: "I had some
family and health issues so I wanted to take
time out to make sure I was completely recovered
and could concentrate fully on my next job" or
something like that.

-- Janice


What idealists you guys are!  Does anyone watch House?  They start with the
premise that everyone lies.  So does an interviewer.
Now if I'm interviewing you, and you say this, I groan. 
> [snip dire warnings]


And all the time, I will be smiling sweetly. That's reality.  There's not
much kindness in corporate. 

I don't know what terrible job experiences you've
had but your experiences are not necessarily the
only reality out there.

I've never had to deal with a health issue in an
interview but I have had to deal with bringing up
certain requirements for religious observance,
and in areas of the U.S. where they are not
very common. I've never had a company be anything
but understanding and accommodating.

Frankly, if a company is going to be this distrustful
of potential candidates, and watch their employees
"like a hawk," as you indicate, I wouldn't want to
work there anyway. Plus, I still maintain that a possible
health risk, even on the off chance that it might
affect an interviewer's view of the candidate, is
still not going to be as negative an impression as
finding out that a candidate lied.

-- Janice

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